->''"Oshii is probably the only director that loves dogs. He thinks he's a dog himself."''-->--'''[[Anime/{{FLCL}} Haruko Haruhara]]'''

Highly influential Japanese anime and live-action director.

Even though he is known today for his films with philosophical dialogue and labyrinthine plots, Oshii first rose to prominence at Studio Pierrot directing (and occasionally storyboarding and writing for) the zany anime comedy TV show ''Manga/UruseiYatsura''. He also got his start directing films with UY, directing the first movie, ''Only You'' (which supposedly suffered from ExecutiveMeddling) in 1983.

‘83 was in fact a very busy year for Oshii. In addition to directing a television series and making his first motion picture, he also co-wrote and directed ''Dallos'', the first ever OVA. The next year he completed ''Beautiful Dreamer'', the second ''Urusei Yatsura'' film. Considered to be the first film to contain Oshii's trademark direction techniques and stylings, this surreal movie also reportedly upset creator Creator/RumikoTakahashi and led to Oshii leaving the franchise.

After a few years of making some highly experimental and artistic anime including ''Anime/AngelsEgg'', Oshii directed his first live-action film, ''The Red Spectacles'', in 1987. This movie was the first in his dystopian “Kerberos Saga”, which also includes his 1991 live-action film ''Stray Dog'' as well as the anime film ''Anime/JinRohTheWolfBrigade'' (which he wrote but did not direct), and numerous manga and novels.

In 1988, Oshii returned to the mainstream when he joined anime super-group “HEADGEAR” (which included colleagues from his ''Urusei Yatsura'' days) and produced the OVA ''Patlabor''. He also directed ''Patlabor: The Movie'', the ''Patlabor''… [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin well, movie]]. This was followed up in 1993 with ''Patlabor 2'', a somber film that deals with terrorism, the nature of peace vs. war, the complacency of a nation's citizens, Japan's place in the modern world, and other [[SarcasmMode fluffy topics]]. During this time he also wrote some episodes for the ''Patlabor'' TV and second OVA series.

The biggest hit of Oshii’s career though came in 1995, with the release of his adaptation of Creator/MasamuneShirow’s ''Manga/GhostInTheShell''. This highly influential cyberpunk movie was technically groundbreaking, using a subtle blend of traditional cel art and computer graphics to great effect. ''Anime/GhostInTheShell'', which was heavily influenced by Creator/RidleyScott’s ''Film/BladeRunner'', would go on in turn to inspire many films afterward, including ''Film/TheMatrix''. It was also one of a number of gateway anime that helped the medium gain popularity in the West.

Mamoru Oshii continues to write and direct to this day. In addition to directing ''Innocence'', the sequel to his biggest hit ''Anime/GhostInTheShell'', he directed the Polish Sci-Fi film ''Avalon'' and the [[ContemplateOurNavels Navel-Gazing]] Air Combat yarn ''Anime/TheSkyCrawlers'', among many, many others.

* AdrenalineTime: Used lovingly - or facetiously.* AsTheGoodBookSays: Biblical quotes abound in is work (usually at least somewhat plot-related). Notably the ''Ghost in the Shell'' and ''Patlabor'' movies, as well as ''Garm Wars''.* AuthorAppeal / CreatorThumbprint: Basset Hounds, [[EmotionlessGirl Emotionless Girls]], and German firearms.** More than anything else, though, themes from Polish films, especially Andrzej Wajda's.** Has gone on record saying he can't create anything without Kenji Kawai writing the musical score.* BenevolentBoss: Is a laid-back boss and director, at least according to him. While this does provide for a more lax workplace (compared to the reportedly very strict Creator/StudioGhibli) it can also result in some of his works being less-polished than some of his contemporaries. Case in point: have fun playing "Spot the Frame Jump" while watching the otherwise brilliantly animated ''Patlabor 2''.* BittersweetEnding / DownerEnding: His protagonists seldom get anything resembling a happy ending.* DeconstructorFleet: The worst mistake you could make is assuming he's not mercilessly tearing into every conventional gunfight scene cliché in the book in both the "Kerberos Saga" and ''[=GitS=]: Innocence''.* DoingItForTheArt: [[invoked]] One of the most egregious examples ever. This tendency is allegedly what got him fired from ''Urusei Yatsura''.* DullSurprise: A often criticism of some of his animated work suffering from a clear lack of emotion on all of the characters faces.* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: [[invoked]] He got his start directing the first half of the ''Manga/UruseiYatsura'' TV series and its first two movies. While UY has some elements that would come to define Oshii later on (like its bizarre dreamlike imagery), it's still at heart a zany comedy. Only ''Beautiful Dreamer'' comes close to "feeling" like an Oshii work.* EeriePaleSkinnedBrunette: And there is also often a scene showing her as an CreepyDoll-looking EmotionlessGirl contrasted against red color.* GunPorn* MindScrew: Commonplace, but ''The Red Spectacles'' and especially ''Talking Head'' are one step away from Creator/DavidLynch-caliber weirdness.* PrimaDonnaDirector: Why he's never worked on a TV series nor an adaptation from a manga or light novel since getting fired from ''Manga/UruseiYatsura'', save for ''Anime/GhostInTheShell''.* SceneryPorn: Usually of Tokyo, which he is ambivalent about. [[http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/interviews/m_oshii_patlabor2.html See.]]** ''Anime/GhostInTheShell'' contains lovingly detailed scenes of what appears to be either Hong Kong or Yokohama's Chinatown.* SignatureStyle: Characters approaching their own reflections, especially with water. [[LeaveTheCameraRunning Long stretches of scenery, to help the soundtrack take center stage.]]* SilenceIsGolden: Until their token big monologue, his characters are extremely taciturn. [[SignatureStyle If a response to a question should be obvious to the audience, the character won't bother to answer.]]* SlobsVersusSnobs: Oshii never makes any effort to dress up for public appearances, [[strike:even]] especially when appearing with other members of the film crew who do not share his bohemian expression. [[http://www.scifijapan.com/ntv/sky14.jpg See.]]* TechnologyPorn: Common in his later works.* UncannyValley: Invoked repeatedly in his films, to the point of becoming a major theme in ''Innocence''.* ViewersAreGeniuses: Expect each of his films to demand multiple viewings for even basic comprehension.* WhatCouldHaveBeen: [[invoked]]** Oshii was working on a ''Franchise/LupinIII'' project in the mid 1980s. All that survived was some [[http://www.lupinthethird.com/forums/index.php?topic=1607.0 cryptic concept art]].** He considers himself a friend of Creator/HayaoMiyazaki's, and there were efforts to get him to collaborate with Creator/StudioGhibli back in the late-80's and early-90's. They were never able to find a project for him. Also, as mentioned above, his work style clashes badly with Ghibli's Disney-like obsession. Finally, Oshii's 1992 interview in which he lobbed minor insults at Ghibli ended any chance of working together.----